"Is This Thing On?" (Cooper, 2025) - Review

Is This Thing On? is one of my favourite films of 2025, and easily one of the most brilliant screenplays brought to the screen last year. 

Written by Mariane Tremblay

"Cause love's such an old-fashioned word. And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night. And love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves. This is our last dance. This is our last dance. This is ourselves. Under pressure."

Now that Is This Thing On? is streaming on Hulu and Disney+, I feel like it’s time more than ever to talk about this movie. Distributed in a very few theatres, Bradley Cooper’s newest movie is now available to rent or buy at home and on streaming platforms, so I do believe that none of you have any excuse not to watch it. 

Is This Thing On? tells the story of Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess Novak (Laura Dern), whose twenty-six-year marriage is slowly coming to an end; he’s now living in an apartment on his own in the city, while Tess is still living in their suburban house with their kids (Blake Kane, Clavin Knegten). To cope with their separation, Alex starts performing stand-up at a comedy club, while Tess goes back to her first love, volleyball. Both of them are trying to reckon with who they are on their own, but will they be able to reconnect with each other as well?

Cooper’s movie is one of my favourite films of 2025, and easily one of the most brilliant screenplays brought to the screen last year. I must admit that after watching Maestro in 2023, I was sceptical about Cooper’s work as a writer and director, but after watching Is Thing On?, I’m genuinely sorry I’ve ever doubted him.

I may not be in a long-term relationship or going through a separation or a divorce right now, but romantic movies have no secrets for me, as I’ve been watching them all, and for years. So, I ended up feeling like I was part of the Is This Thing On? target audience. Movies about sex, relationships and self-discovery are amongst my favourites, and I believe this is why I love this one so much. 

From its intimate camera work to the way it’s written, Is This Thing On? feels as real as life itself, in all its beauty and messiness. Far from the usual clichés and romanticization we often see in romantic comedies, Cooper’s film tells the story of two ordinary people who could be anyone, and whom anyone can relate to, which makes the film even more special. It feels like the perfect movie about relationships, what it means to be in a long-term partnership: commitment, communication, how you remain a couple while building a family and raising children, how to be happy together, and also how to be unhappy together.

Being in a long-term relationship isn’t easy, and I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be in one for twenty-six years. It’s much more complex than we might think, unless we’ve experienced it ourselves. People change, people evolve, and sometimes people grow apart, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s over or that nothing can be done to make things work again. And that’s what’s so beautiful about this movie: it’s hopeful, but not in a silly or cliché way, more like in a real, grounded way, like in real life.

“A real relationship is finding someone you can also be unhappy with.
Somebody who has your back.”

Marriage is "for better or worse." It requires communication, effort, and commitment, but it’s also about fun and friendship. It has to be. It’s about being a team, having each other’s backs, and going through everything together. The film captures this perfectly by balancing both Alex and Tess’ perspectives on their relationship, which made me appreciate it even more, because I have to admit that after reading the synopsis, I was afraid the film would centre mostly on Arnett’s Alex, which felt like it would just be another story focused on the male perspective, but I was happily surprised.

And what makes this movie feel even more real is how Cooper filmed it—shot handheld and using only one lens. We’re drawn into Alex and Tess’ lives in the most intimate way—so much closer to what the characters are going through. At the Q&A at AFI Fest, Arnett and Dern talked about working very closely with Cooper, as if the three of them were shooting a little indie film—and it shows (in the best way possible). You can feel the intimacy both in and out of the story, and that’s exactly what this film needed. And I genuinely think that we need more movies like this one. 

Laura Dern is incredible, but she’s Academy Award winner Laura Dern, so are we even surprised? I love her portrayal of Tess—very authentic and honest. Will Arnett, on the other hand, is a revelation in this role. I’ve never seen him this vulnerable or portray a character so genuinely. This is one of his best performances, if not the best. And together, they truly are the perfect pair.

I think I could go on and on about Is This Thing On? because there’s honestly so much to say. I will only suggest that you all watch it as soon as possible.

Photos: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures